Chapter Approved 2017 Review: Part 2- Orks and Imperial Knights Faction Rules

Part 2 of my Chapter Approved 2017 review will look at the new Faction rules for the Orks and Imperial Knights. 

An Ork warlord can take the Might is Right warlord trait, giving him +1 strength. On a warboss, this will take them up to S7 base, so they will be able to wound most vehicles on a 4+ without any additional weapon. With a Big Choppa, this will take them up to S9, with a Power Klaw, up to S14. This is great, allowing you to wound most vehicles on a 2+ with a warboss with a Power Klaw. This would allow your warlord to tear through most enemy vehicles or units with ease. I can see this being a great warlord trait for an Ork warboss to take. 

The Ork Relic is Headwoppa's Killchoppa. This is a melee weapon with +2S, -2AP and D3 damage. In addition, on a roll of a 6+ to wound, it does D3 mortal wounds instead of normal damage. I think this is a decent Relic for the Orks to take. It doesn't have the -3AP of a Power Klaw, but you will be wounding most units the same as a Power Klaw, but the chance of doing mortal wounds is a great bonus. 

Orks now have access to the Mob Up and Dakka! Dakka! Dakka! stratagems. 

Mob Up costs 1 command point. This allows two of the same type of infantry unit to join together to form one unit, as long as one is below 10 models and the other is above 10 models. This is a pseudo return to the old mob up rules. Will be useful for denying your opponent kill points in some games, but I don't see this being used too often. I think in most situations it would be better to have a smaller unit to soak up overwatch fire before the charge of a larger unit. If you mob up the two units, you will take the overwatch fire and are more likely to fail a morale test and take more casualties from the big unit. 

Dakka! Dakka! Dakka! also costs one command point. Can be used on an Ork Infantry or Biker unit. For each 6+ to hit rolled in the shooting phase, you get to make an extra attack with the same weapon. The extra attacks cannot generate further attacks. Given the BS of most Orks, you will be getting bonus shots from roughly half your hits. Could be useful on a large unit of Shoota Boyz, Lootas or Warbikers. Can't see this being used too often, but could be good in certain circumstances. If Orks get a similar close combat ability in their codex, it would be amazing given the number of attacks they can muster in assault. 

A few good bonuses for Orks, but nothing to get too excited about I feel. Will be more interested to see what the codex brings for my Deffskulls army. 

In a battle forged Super Heavy detachment made up of Knights, you can select one to be a Character and give them the Knight Seneschal warlord trait, giving them +1 attacks. This is actually a nice bonus for an Imperial Knight, giving them 5 attacks. With titanic feet, this gives them 15 attacks. Given the power of some of their weapons, this is a great trait to use. 

The Knight Relic is Ravager, which replaces a Reaper Chainsword. This is a Knight melee weapon that is +6 strength, -3AP and 6 damage. It also allows you to re-roll to hit rolls of 1. This takes the Knight up to S14, allowing it to wound most units on a 2+. This will greatly improve the devastation your Knight can cause against most units in combat, utterly demolishing them. 

The Knights have access to a single Stratagem, Rotate Ion Shields. This costs 1 command point. Can be used when a Knight is the target of an enemy attack. You can add 1 to your invulnerable save until the end of the phase. This will give a Knight a 4+ invulnerable save against shooting or melee attacks, which will increase its durability a lot. This could be great when your Knight is targeted by a powerful shooting attack or melee unit in combat. 

Some really nice bonuses for Imperial Knights in Chapter Approved, I feel. A useful warlord trait, great Relic and brilliant stratagem should do well for players who wish to field an all-Knight army.

Chapter Approved 2017 Review
Part 1- Deathwatch and Genestealer Cult Faction Rules
Part 2- Orks and Imperial Knights Faction Rules
Part 3- Eternal War Missions
Part 4- Maelstrom of War Missions